The present disclosure generally relates to a bracket for carrying conduits, pipes, lines, etc. on an underside of a vehicle, and more particularly relates to an HVAC pipe bracket for securing HVAC lines within an underside recess on a vehicle.
Modern vehicles employ numerous brackets of various types for securing tubes, pipes, wires, etc. in position on the vehicle. Some brackets only secure against lateral motion; other brackets secure to limit axial and rotational motion. The particular configuration of the bracket employed often corresponds to the one or more pipes or other items carried and the mounting location on the vehicle. Several tubes, pipes, wires, etc. are often carried on the underside of the vehicle. These can be secured at one or more locations to the underside of the vehicle by one or more brackets. Conventionally such brackets have been formed of metal, which provides strength and durability to the bracket.
Some modern vehicles employ various HVAC components in the rear of the vehicle. For example, some HVAC systems include components disposed at the front of the vehicle for heating and cooling a front zone of the vehicle and additional components disposed at the rear of the vehicle for heating and cooling a rear zone of the vehicle. It is sometimes necessary to provide lines (e.g., pipes, conduits, etc.) that extend from the components disposed at the front of the vehicle to the components disposed at the rear of the vehicle. It is often most convenient to run these lines along an underside of the vehicle. Such routing can necessitate the need for one or more brackets to secure the lines to the underside of the vehicle.
Such brackets may be subject to impact from road debris that may be kicked-up toward the underside of the vehicle during operation thereof. For example, when the vehicle is driven on a relatively rough road, there may be an increased likelihood of various road debris (e.g., rocks, stones, etc.) being thrown toward the underside of the vehicle and potentially at any bracket securing lines, such as HVAC lines, to the underside of the vehicle.